The name Ganiyu Johnson is one of the most talked about with the last 24 hours and this is down to his most recent sponsorship of the bill seeking to make doctors practice in Nigeria for at least 5 years before they are licenced to curb the brain drain in the medical sector.
So, Who Is Ganiyu Johnson?
GAJ as he is popularly addressed is a Lagos politician. His full name is Ganiyu Abiodun Johnson and he is currently representing Oshodi Isolo II Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
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Ganiyu contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and won in 2019 after defeating Emmanuel Nnodim of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
At the APC primaries for the 2023 Elections, he got all the 30 votes from the delegates to be the flag bearer for his party but eventually lost to Labour Party’s Tony.
Antecedents and Positions Held by Ganiyu Johnson
Johnson is the chairman of the Adhoc Committee on the Rehabilitation of Nigeria Refinery and a member of House Committee on Works, FERMA and Water Resources.
He reached the height of his career as the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure in Lagos State before being appointed as the Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure to then-Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola.
He was then the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Lagos State during Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration.
Empowerment Programmes Done and His Recognition
The Rotary Club of Okota conferred him with the Rotary Distinguished Community Service Award at the 35th investiture ceremony.
His recognition was tied to the numerous transformational and infrastructural projects done ranging from Education, Health, Human Capital Development, Empowerment, Road Constructions, Solar Projects, Water projects amongst others.
In April 2021, he inaugurated three blocks of 14 classrooms at Oba Faronbi Primary School, Isolo, Lagos.
He was also noted to have facilitated the construction of Ejigbo-Isolo-Mushin Road to three (3) Lane apiece. The project aims to bring lasting smile to the face of good people of Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II.
Johnson was also responsible for the constructions of other pressing roads in Isolo, Ejigbo and Okota.
In terms of education, he constructed 12 Blocks of classroom (A-storey building) inside Ifoshi Primary school, Ejigbo to accomplish his EduProject Agenda for the Constituency.
He acknowledged that these are life changing projects that every communities deserve and the good people of Oshodi-Isolo Constituency II have greatly enjoyed this dividend of democracy.
Controversies About His Personality and Representation
There were controversies sometimes in 2022 about his effectiveness at the Assembly with some in his Constituency tagging him as being redundant.
He however reacted noting that he has sponsored two bills and raised six motions in 2021.
In his words, he said:
“As a lawmaker, we have so many responsibilities to make law, go on oversights and proper representations of our various constituencies.
“When we say proper representation, that is to say during budget defence, you make sure that proper things are done across MDAs, then in the chamber, how are you fairing, if you represent them well in the chamber and you are not faring well in your constituency, you will not be reelected.”
Bills He Has Sponsored At The Floor of House of Representatives
In 2022, Ganiyu Johnson, in the leadership Debate sponsored a bill on The Federal Airport Authority Act Amendment Bill 2021 was assented to after passing second reading at the house.
The bill was titled, ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the Federal Airports Authority Act, Cap. F5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
It was aimed to Empower the Authority to Recognise the Environmental Challenges facing all the Communities Around Nigerian Airports and Therefore Engage and Involve the Communities in their Development Plans; and for Related Matters.’
NewStori understands that a section of the bill explained that the proposal is to empower the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to recognise the environmental impact people living around the Nigerian airports suffer.
Some of these are noted to include noise pollution, air pollution, waste and congestion occasioned by day to day air operation in the airport around their various communities.”
Why Many Are Attacking Ganiyu Abiodun Johnson Online
A day to the Easter break, precisely on Thursday on the floor of the Assembly, he argued that medical practitioners trained in the country should not be granted licences until they have practised for a period of 5 years as a way to give back to the society that trained them before they are even allowed to seek greener pastures abroad.
The Medical Students Association to this effect has kicked against the Bill Proposing Five-Year Compulsory Service just like some lawmakers argued against it seeing it as a way to tie them down which is not ethical.
